Ground settlement and wall deformation from a large scale model test on a single strutted sheet pile wall in sand

The ground settlement and wall deformation of a sheet pile wall during different stages of excavation have been studied using a large scale model test in a bin with dry sand at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU. The model sheet pile wall was built prior to raining in the sand in a bin (4 m × 4 m in plan and 3 m deep). This paper deals with results from tests on a relatively loose sand with 43.2% porosity. Strain gauges, load cells and potentiometers were used to monitor the wall movement, the bending moments in the wall, the strut loads and the ground settlements. The large scale model test results were compared with finite element simulations based on an elastoplastic soil model calibrated only against conventional oedometer and triaxial test results performed on the sand used in the model tests. Discrepancies between the physical model test results and the simulations are discussed trying to identify the cause of the discrepancy when a discrepancy may have been observed and suggest improved procedures for parameter determination. However, in conclusion, the comparison generally shows good agreement, and illustrates how a finite element analysis can be used to predict the behaviour of a supporting wall.